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Chapter 5
“That’s not what I meant by ‘let’s kiss’!”
“Haah… huff…!”
Ah, that startled me!
At the sound of rough breathing, Evelyn quickly came back to her senses.
It was Senior Oliver, who had been trailing far behind.
“Are you alright?”
If a person could melt, would they look like that?
Instead of answering, Oliver pushed his glasses back up his nose. Sweat was pouring down his face even though it was still cool in early spring.
“Is something wrong?”
Vanessa, who was far ahead, shouted down to them. The distance between the knights and the researchers had grown quite wide.
Despite his large build, Victor moved down the mountain swiftly.
“So this is the reason.”
He looked at the nearly dying Oliver with pity, then stretched out both hands toward him.
“Huff… huff… what are you doing…?”
“You look like you’re having a hard time.”
Oliver had always been afraid of the Ashford Knights, but right now he truly felt like he was about to die.
After hesitating for a moment, he grabbed Victor’s hands.
“Y-Yes, then I’ll leave it to you… huff!”
His view suddenly rose.
Instead of simply helping him up, Victor lifted Oliver into his arms.
Oliver’s face turned red in embarrassment.
“N-No! Please put me down!”
“Should I just let you walk? It looks like it would take you a week.”
Victor looked sincerely concerned, which only made Oliver feel more humiliated.
“Sir Victor, that’s amazing!” Evelyn exclaimed in genuine admiration.
To show such a sight in front of a newcomer… Only Oliver was miserable.
“This isn’t what I wanted…!”
As Oliver struggled in his arms, Victor nodded as if he understood.
“So you prefer something more dynamic.”
Then he began gently shaking Oliver from side to side as if playing with a child.
From above, Vanessa clicked her tongue.
“A man who acts like a child isn’t attractive.”
Her loud voice carried clearly even from far away.
Oliver gave up trying to talk to them.
The others resumed climbing the mountain.
Catherine wiped the sweat from her forehead and said to Evelyn, “The order is important when subjugating monsters. No matter how skilled someone is, if the order is wrong, it’s useless.”
“Yes, I’ll remember the order.”
Evelyn recalled the procedure.
First, interpret the ancient script and release the monster’s seal.
Second, the knights defeat the monsters.
Third, after eliminating the high-ranking monsters trapped deep inside, reseal the area.
“Then do we not need the monster stimulant we brought from the capital?” Evelyn asked.
“Most of the time, no. Unless a high-ranking monster refuses to appear until the end, it’s unnecessary. It would only provoke the other monsters.”
Catherine firmly warned that even against the highest-grade monsters, only a small amount should be used.
Evelyn listened carefully, hoping the stimulant would never have to be used.
Eventually, the knights and researchers reached the cave where the monsters were sealed.
The stone monument blocking the entrance had been created long ago by priests using powerful holy power.
On Monster Mountain, where strong magic flowed, monsters—condensed masses of magic—would form every winter.
No matter how many were eliminated each year, it kept happening.
Holy power was only a temporary measure to confine the newly formed monsters.
As time passed and the monsters grew stronger, they sometimes shattered the sealed monument.
Fortunately, now—just after awakening from their winter sleep—was when they were weakest.
That was why every early spring, it was an annual task to eliminate monsters that had been sealed for a long time.
First, the researchers had to read the ancient language on the monument and sprinkle holy water to release the seal.
Holy power and magic instinctively resisted each other.
Whenever the flow of magic changed, holy power adjusted itself in response.
Because of that, the ancient script floating above the monument constantly shifted under the influence of holy power.
That was why a researcher from the Ancient Language Interpretation Department had to accompany them.
As always, bright light gathered together and formed sentences above the stone.
The first to approach the monument was Theo.
As if he felt no fear of the monsters that might burst out, he stood there with his arms crossed, expression indifferent.
“Then we’ll begin.”
Catherine read and interpreted the ancient script while Evelyn sprinkled holy water.
The glowing letters shimmered like golden sunlight reflecting on the sea.
Evelyn had brought a thick reference book just in case, but it seemed unnecessary for Catherine.
“Please, someone put me down…!”
Normally, Oliver would have been helping with the process.
But Victor misunderstood his words and let out a sigh.
He bounced Oliver in his arms again.
The faster motion made Oliver feel dizzy.
Fortunately, even without Oliver, the seal release went smoothly.
An invisible crack formed, and the stone slowly split in half.
Soon, the monsters would begin pouring out one by one.
Thinking about the tedious battles ahead, Theo slowly closed and opened his eyes.
That was when it happened.
“I said put me down!”
Unable to endure any longer, Oliver kicked wildly.
Victor tried to steady him, but the recoil caused Oliver to fall.
Thankfully, he landed on the grass.
However, the small bag he had been holding hit a nearby rock.
Crash—
The sound of something breaking came from inside.
A thick, sweet scent quickly spread through the air.
“No, no!”
Oliver reached desperately for the cloth bag, which was turning purple.
The ominous purple liquid was the monster stimulant.
The glass bottle he had brought had shattered.
All of it spilled out, instantly agitating the monsters.
A heavy tremor shook the ground.
The screams of awakened monsters tore through the air.
The monsters, which should have come out one by one, could not contain their excitement and rushed out all at once.
The Ashford Knights drew their magic swords.
Kyaaaak!
The nearly unsealed monument split completely in half.
Monsters flooded out of the cave.
It was too fast to handle calmly.
Some monsters began digging tunnels, tearing through the mountain.
With a deafening roar, the ground shook violently.
Exposed to the stimulant, the monsters became far more aggressive than usual.
At that moment, a lion-shaped monster covered in scales burst through the ground and lunged at Evelyn.
“Ah—!”
A massive shadow fell over her.
Snake-like eyes rolled and fixed their gaze on her.
Evelyn learned then that when fear was extreme, the body would not move.
Her legs were frozen as if buried in the ground.
Then her vision suddenly shifted.
Theo had wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her toward him.
In an instant, his magic sword pierced straight through the monster’s open mouth.
Green liquid burst from the roof of its tongue.
Thud—
Deeply wounded, the monster collapsed.
Evelyn trembled all over from the terror.
Still holding her from behind, Theo lowered his upper body.
His lips came close to her ear.
“Were you startled?”
His voice, carrying a hint of laughter, echoed in her mind.
It was far too calm for the current situation.
Countless monsters were still shrieking wildly, unable to hide their violent excitement.
If they went down the mountain, they would surely harm the villagers.
With a line of monsters between them, Theo and Evelyn stood on one side, while the others were farther away.
Theo had moved to a steep cliff while saving her.
One more step and they could fall into the deep gorge below.
Meanwhile, Theo’s magic sword, having absorbed magic, began to glow as if satisfied.
Then he extended the sword forward.
A great light wrapped around his hand and blade.
The powerful aura was something Evelyn had never seen before, leaving her dazed.
The eyes of the Ashford Knights widened.
It was rare for the Duke to use this much power.
But to prevent casualties, it was the best option.
They called out to the researchers.
“Stay as far away from the monsters as possible!”
But Catherine and Oliver were frozen in place.
Even Catherine, who had grown used to monsters after several trips, had never seen anything like this.
Oliver felt both guilt and fear.
Vanessa grabbed Catherine’s arm and pulled her far away.
Victor lifted Oliver again.
When everyone had moved away, Theo pulled Evelyn tightly against him with one arm from behind.
“Excuse me.”
His firm, broad chest pressed against her back.
A gentle warmth wrapped around her entire body.
